To be a Seishi
by AmbrLupin
Summary: AU. They thought it was over, they thought they could live in peace. They were wrong.A demon is born from the innocence of a child, and in order to stop him, Chichiri has to pay a terrible price and face a fate worse than death. Life. DARKCHICHIRI
1. And here we set our scene

To be a seishi

Chapter one: And here we set our scene

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It was pitch black, the dark only found in the deepest pits of hell. This was true darkness, darkness that lived in his heart. The heart of a man broken and left alone, unable to die, unable to find peace, because he was needed. Yes...Suzaku no Chichiri was needed.

He couldn't give up now, he couldn't...It was his destiny to fight along side his star brothers, stand by them to fight and protect his miko, Miaka Yuki. He knew that, knew it as much as he knew if he didn't get help right away, he was going to die.

So he stayed there, lying on the shifting mud, listening to the water that was straining against the dam, trying to rush toward him with the force of a years rain behind it. His one good eye stared up at the black sky, which suddenly shifted, the stars shining down on him as if nothing was amiss.

Only, something was wrong with the familiar sky, and it didn't take him long to see it. The dark clouds hadn't vanished completely, no, they were there, hiding the constellation he was named after behind the same darkness that was beginning to override his senses.

"Ah..." He murmured, blood slipping from the corner of his mouth to dribble down his chin. He didn't even have the strength to wipe it away. "I knew, it wouldn't take...long..."

For days he had been separated from them, caught in the web of lies he had constructed to keep his real self in and everyone else out. He missed them, missed Miaka's naivety, missed Hotohori and Tamahome's bickering over who loved her the most. He missed Chiriko's childish innocence, he missed Mitsukake's silence. He even missed Tasuki's colorful vocabulary.

However, what he missed most of all, might just have been the feeling of belonging he received every time they greeted him with smiles on their faces. Yes, he would miss that the most, miss their voices calling out, "Chiri!" But what was he to do? He couldn't go back now...Not now. He wasn't right...He wasn't Suzaku no Chichiri anymore.

It was better to forget about them, forget everything and just let himself go. That way, he wouldn't have to remember what they had done to him. Turning his head, he laid his cheek on the ground, the cold mud feeling like ice against his heated skin. No, it wasn't going to be much longer at all.

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"Chichiri!" The voice was raspy from overuse, barely heard above the raging of the wind. A storm was coming, a dreadful storm that promised destruction from either its dangerous lightning or flooding rains. Or perhaps even both.

Miaka Yuki tripped, her form crashing heavily to the ground, the simple tunic and slacks she had borrowed already well torn and dirtied. Her hazel eyes clenched against the tears that threatened to overtake her, she stumbled to her feet again, "Chichiri!"

"Miaka!" Tamahome's voice was laced with worry and she was suddenly jerked back against a broad chest, "Please...Please stop! Its been a week...a WEEK." The miko was stunned to see a tear leak out of the older man's eye, slipping down his cheek. "We've looked everywhere for him! You cant keep going on like thi-"

"I am not going to stop looking for him!" She screamed, fighting against him, her hair pulled back in a simple bun, a few tendrils curling about her face. "I am not! Chichiri is out here, and Im going to find him!"

"Miaka!" Tasuki's voice easily cut through the raging wind, "You are FREAKIN INSANE! We are in the middle of a freaking HURRICANE! You cant just go runnin' off in the middle of the night!"

"I CAN FEEL IT, ALL RIGHT!" The youth screamed, her volume easily surpassing Tasuki at his best. "I CAN FEEL HIM SLIPPING AWAY! I AM GOING TO FIND CHICHIRI! WITH OR WITHOUT YOU!" Her breath was coming hard and fast, her voice cracking with the strain of raising her voice.

"You done now?" Tasuki asked.

Dumbly, the junior high school student nodded, her hands clenched tightly in the wet material of Tamahome's shirt.

"Good. Now get yer sorry butt back inside, Ill take it from here."

"But-"

The miko never got to finish her sentance, because at that moment, Tasuki had lunged, pressing something against her nose and mouth. She barely had time to rasp out a weak, "Why...?" Before she collapsed asleep.

"Tasuki." Tamahome held Miaka in his arms, protecting her from the now pounding rain. "Are you sure about this?"

Amber eyes locked onto his, "Chichiri helped me when I needed it the most, risked his very life to save mine...The least I can do is return the favor." And with that, the fire seishi was gone.

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The water was straining against the weak dam, splashing over its banks so hard water flew tens of feet into the air, coming down hard on those guards and towspeople trying to keep the furious liquid from breaking through. They piled heavy bags of sand around the base of the wooden blockage, trying to weight it enough to take some of the strain.

"We cant! Its going to break!" A middle-aged man screamed, trying to push against the bending wood as he stood knee-deep in the water leaking from the weakening dam. "No...Its too strong...cant...!" His grip was starting to slip and the water was harder to force against...

A hand gripped his shoulder firmly, "Move aside."

Violet hair pulled back into a long braid...Kind, bright, brown eyes...Feminine features, but with an air that suggested entirely otherwise...There was only one person in Konan who matched such a description. "N-Nuriko-sama!" He gasped.

"Move aside." Nuriko repeated calmly, "I have this." He placed his hands on the wood, a few feet apart, and pushed. The cracking of the wood stopped abruptly and it was eerily quiet save for the sharp cries of those still on the banks. "GO!" Unable to say a thing, the farmer ran, having to almost swim to the other side, the level of the water rising fast.

The seishi firmly dug his feet into the heavy sand at the bottom of the river, his arms actually starting to shake from the exertion he had to put up. Suzaku...This wasn't going to work...He wasnt going to be able to stop it! His symbol flared to life on his chest, yanagi easily visible through the thin, soaked through tunic he wore. "Oh...Suzaku no...!" He felt the wood giving way beneath his hands. "No!"

His gauntlets flashed into existence, but it wasn't enough...It just wasn't enough!

"NO!"

The dam gave way.

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Chichiri immediately noticed the change it how the ground shook and he felt a soft smile on his face. This was even better than what he had hoped for. To die the same way...the same way Hikou did. Ah, this must be Suzaku's just punishment, making him die just like the friend he betrayed. He closed his eye, "I accept, Suzaku-sama. I accept this path, just like I accepted it a month ago when I met with Jiyun. I knew one of us was going to have to lose...And it wasn't going to be me." Chichiri's voice dropped dangerously to a low note that had rarely ever been heard from the usually cheerful seishi. "And so...I sold my soul."

"Ch-Chichiri?"

The monk's eye snapped open, coming to rest on a bair of booted feet. His eyes traveled up black pants, a dark green shirt..."Tasuki." His voice was completely devoid of emotion.

"Chiri...What the frick happened to you...?" Those bright amber eyes couldnt believe what he was seeing. There was the oldest, and by far the strongest of the Suzaku seven, looking like he had been through hell and back. His eye was even more devoid of life than ever, his scar was red and angry looking, as if someone had...someone had..."Oh gods...Chiri...What the...Who...?"

"I did." The blue-haired warrior turned his head away from his star brother, once again staring up at the sky, devoid of his constellation still. The ground was shaking violently now, and the water could be seen, barreling toward them. Tasuki saw it too, his eyes went wide and he jerked forward, hoping to grab Chichiri and leap for safety. Only there was nowhere to go. The entire area around them was flat land, farming land.

"CHICHIRI!" He screamed, covering the other with his body just as the water overtook them both.

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OH NO! Confused yet? Wanna find out who Jiyun is? Wanna find out just exactley happened to poor Chiri! COME BACK NEXT TIME for chapter two: Suzaku no shichiseishi Chichiri.

Now...U see that button on the bottom left hand side of ur screen? The one that says 'Submit Review'? Ya do? Well then, push it and tell me what u think! PLEASE! The sooner I get reviews, I update!


	2. Ni Jiyun

To be a Seishi

Chapter two: Ni Jiyun

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"NO DAAAAA!"

With a scream not unlike a cat being mowed over by a carriage, Tasuki jumped into the air, latching onto the roof beam and hanging on for dear life. The entire dining hall burst into roaring laughter as the monk responsible for such a scene calmly walked to his seat, innocently looking around, "So, what's for breakfast, no da?"

Tasuki, his face nearly as red as his hair, dropped back down onto the ground, nearly falling flat on his face, and he would have too, if Nuriko hadn't quickly reached out, snagging the bandit's collar and pulling him back. This move, in fact saved him only from a headache. It did nothing to help the pain his back felt when the other seishi released him and he fell _backwards_.

Tamahome snorted into his tea, while, next to him, Miaka was laughing hopelessly at the look of absolute FAKE horror on Nuriko's face. "Oh, Tas!" His voice was high-pitched which only made the miko laugh harder, "I am sooooo sorry! Please forgive me!" And without missing a beat, the warrior of strength glomped the redhead.

"AHH! GET FRICKEN OFF ME YOU...YOU...CROSSDRESSER!"

That was quite enough for Hotohori, who couldn't resist the urge to tease his star brother. "Oh, that was original. Did you think of that one yourself?"

The entire table was laughing so hard, tears were coming out of their eyes, Miaka nearly doubled over her food, chopsticks half-way to her mouth. The only one not laughing their heads off was Chichiri, who only sat there with a small smile on his face.

Tasuki finally managed to free himself of the other and he jumped back, expecting to be able to put enough distance between himself and the cross-dressing seishi. He wasn't expecting to be as close as he was to the table. He slammed into Chichiri, taking them both to the ground, the food the monk had just gathered flying into the air.

Suddenly the situation wasn't so funny anymore, as neither seishi were rising. "Chichiri-san? Tasuki-san?" Chiriko rose to his feet, Mitsukake at his side. "Daijobu?"

A soft voice suddenly reached their ears a second before a red light flashed through the hall.

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It was quiet on the edge of the river, an ideal place to just sit and think. Long fingered hands toyed with a dagger, spinning it in and out of his fingers and from one hand to the other. It was moving so fast it was like watching a light show, the way the sun hit the blade and reflected off.

"Jiyun." A gentle voice broke through the fifteen year olds musings, making him start and look up in surprise. His one free hand immediately went to his raven hair, pulling it free from the thong that held it, letting it fall across one side of his face. It was a reflex, a reaction that he had adapted over time to hide his eyes. They were a piercing green, so piercing and deep he had to hide one, lest people run from him.

"Ranin." His voice was deep for a child, but then again, he hardly looked like a child. His muscles were well-defined and could be seen even through the dark tunic he wore, he stood at a regal height of 5'8 and was far more mature than many would ever dare to guess. "What are you doing here?"

"I went to your house, but Hikari-chan said you weren't home." The girl calmly lowered herself to the ground next to her boyfriend, tucking the edge of her kimono under her knees. "Daijobu?"

"Im fine." Jiyun wouldn't look at her. "I was merely thinking."

"I am worried about you, Jiyun." She said softly, "I wish you wouldn't hide from me." Her light amber eyes were troubled as she toyed nervously with the end of her blonde hair. "I do not mind your eyes. I...I find them beautiful."

He snorted, "My eyes are proof I am the devil's child. These eyes, it is said, defy the gods. I am not meant to live, for demons do not deserve what is given to Suzaku's children. I am a filthy heathen that should be stricken _down_!" As he said this last word, he slammed the dagger into the hard packed dirt.

"Jiyun, no!" She cried, flinging herself into his arms. "No! You are none of those things! You are Ni Jiyun and I love you!"

He pushed her away, but gently. Now, only several inches away, Ranin quickly brushed the bangs that covered his right eye aside, determined to see both his eyes for the very first time...

"NO!" He screamed. But it was already too late.

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"AHHHHHHH!"

"Tasuki!" Nuriko was all business now, vaulting clear over the table, only to blink in shocked surprise...and snicker.

"WHAT THE HECK DID YOU DO TO MY HAIR!" The bandit jumped to his feet, "YOU...YOU FRICKEN MONK!"

Chichiri calmly stood, brushing food off of his kasa. "What's the problem? I think you look stunning, no da."

Everyone merely blinked, before bursting into laughter once again, Chiriko and Mitsukake nearly falling back into their seats, tears coming out of their eyes from laughing so hard. The blue-haired seishi just gave Tasuki a cat-like grin, before removing his mask and joining the others in helpless laughter, clutching at Nuriko's arm.

"Ha ha, laugh it up!" Tasuki grumbled, "But you frickin better change it back!" He crossed his arms and snarled at Chichiri, which for some reason, only made everyone laugh harder. The bandit groaned and hid his face as several servants crept to the open doors to see what the matter was. They found out real quick. There was a bandit in the dining hall with bright, shocking, neon pink hair.

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Jiyun caught Ranin before she could hit the ground, but the damage had already been done. Her eyes stared straight up at the sky, unblinking and unseeing, her skin was pale, her mouth half-open in shock. The youth stared in horror, both eyes locked onto the corpse of a girl he loved...Had loved... "R-Ran? Ranin!" He shook her, hard, "RANIN!"

Several small children, lured by his screaming, came over the edge of the hill, their eyes wide and full of innocent curiosity. The lead one, a young girl with golden hair and light blue eyes suddenly screamed and burst into a quick run, followed by all the others.

"SISSY!"

Jiyun's head snapped up, the pain so evident on his face, even the youngest there could easily see it. It wasn't until he saw the way their eyes bulged out of their heads did he even think...He hadn't realized...

Minutes later, tears dripping down his face, he stood shakily to his feet, Ranin in his arms. Wind twirled around him, kicked up the dirt from underneath his boots, ruffled the hair of the children sprawled across the grass, blew his hair fully away from his face, revealing his two glowing, green eyes.

"You destroyed my life, made me believe I was a heathen, whose only usefulness was to die." He said to no one, his voice low yet still deadly. "Well look on, people of Konan- LOOK WHAT YOU HAVE MADE!"

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Hehehehe...someone gave me pixie sticks! HAHAHAHAHAHAHAH points at Cheeto HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH!

NOW GO AND REVIEW WITH THAT NEAT LITTLE BUTTON ON THE BOTTOM LEFT THAT SAYS 'SUBMIT REVIEW' I COMMAND THEE!


	3. Talk with the oracle

To be a Seishi

Chapter three: Talk with the oracle

Rating: M (all my stories are .;;)

Summary:AU. They thought it was over, they thought they could live in peace. They were wrong. A demon is born from the innocence of a child, and in order to stop him, Chichiri has to pay a terrible price and face a fate worse than death. Life. DARK CHICHIRI

Disclaimer: I've been forgetting this, haven't I? Eh, oops. Not mine. Never been mine. I own Jiyu-kun though. But he's evil so he don't count.

A/N: this might very well be the last semi happy chapter for a while. Enjoy it.

OH! See if you can find my nods to famous FY fanfic writer: Roku Kyu in this chapter!

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A startled squeak caused Tasuki to spin around, nearly falling off of the rail he was perched on. He knew that voice..and if he was right he was in for a load of trouble. If he could stay balanced first. It turned out only his death grip on the wood kept him from falling.

Although, later, he would be seriously debating which was worse- a concussion...Or _Koji_.

"Oh. My. God...Genrou..."He seemed to be struggling with some emotion, whether it be outrageous gaiety or intense horror. His hands were over his mouth and his eyes were huge, eyebrows already gone far into his hairline.

Tasuki snarled, hopping off to stand in front of his friend, "One word..._One_ word, Koji, and Ill hang you over this balcony. Just try me." His hand was already on its way to the tessen that lay against his back. "I dare you, try me."

"No, no, I believe you, buddy." He took a deep breath and started to chuckle, "But darn, Gen. You usually don't give me this much ammunition!"

"This is not my fault." He protested, arms crossed.

The bandit smirked, "You disturbed Chichiri when he was eating again, didn't you?"

"NO!"

"'He hadn't touched the food yet' is not an excuse and does not count, Genrou."

"..."

"Ha, knew it!" Koji laughed, patting the other on the back, his lips pursed as he once again tried to not burst out laughing. But...DARN it was hard! "When are you going to learn, man? Chichiri is a lot of things, and patient is one of them...But have we not learned from experience to not get in between a hungry monk and his food?"

"Yeah, yeah, maybe I was being a little careless." Tasuki sighed, if only to get the other to shut up and leave it be. Yeah, right. This was Koji we were talking about here.

"Listen...I still have to go unpack. Ill see ya later?"He tossed a bag over his shoulder, and saluted the other with his free hand. "Oh, and Gen..?"

"Hm?" Tasuki blinked at him just as warning bells went off in his head.

"Pink hair really suits you." And he bolted.

"KOJI!" Tasuki was quick to give chase, tessen in hand.

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Chichiri crossed his legs as he sunk down onto a mat in the Shrine of Suzaku. The empty cauldron he would use for a fire sat directly in front of him, waiting for him to light it. It was rare that the shrine fire ever go out, for doing so meant disaster for the kingdom...but in this case, he had permission, from both the emperor...And Suzaku himself.

Sticks of incense formed a circle around where he sat, their smoke engulfing him in a sweet-smelling haze. A jar of water from Mt. Taikyoku rested next to him, vapors rising from the surface of the jar, smoke from the cold water meeting the warm air. It was for cleansing himself after he was done.

A robe of ebony cascaded over his shoulders, belted at the waist with a sash of red silk. A splash of crimson wrapped over from his right side to his left chest, in the form of a phoenix and the sleeves draped far over his hands so that he had to fold them back to avoid damaging any of this precious outfit.

His hair hung unbound around his mask-less face, his one eye opened in concentration as he moved his hands in a series of intricate movements that made it look like his hands were dancing; before the cauldron burst into flickering flames, making the incense heavy air glisten red.

"I call upon thee, emperor of the heavens...I call upon thee to help me, to guide me, to watch over me in days of peril, in days of peace. I beseech thee to appear before me now, for the sake of the child in whom your allegiance lies."

The flames grew to several feet high, roaring in the other's ears before they died down before his eyes, until they were barely a few inches over the rim. A form shimmered behind the cauldron and then finally achieved corporeal form, a tall man with glistening light purple hair tied into a bun on the top of his head, black eyes, and an angry expression.

"You could have just called me, you know."

"I know." Chichiri grinned, "But its cooler this way, no da."

He muttered something intelligible under his breath, disappearing in a cloud of silver. When the smoke cleared, the familiar form of the creator floated there, "Is there a reason why you have called me here at this time of day? In peaceful times?"

"Peaceful times?" Chichiri snorted, "You must be joking." He folded his arms, hands in the sleeves. "Surely you have felt it just as I have...That growing darkness bordering on the edge of this capital, drawing on the souls of those knowledgeable enough to feel it."

Taitskun's eyes narrowed, "You speak of blood magic. No one has been able to wield such a power since the destruction of its creator long ago when the gods of this world were mere fledglings. To even suggest it..." She shook her head, "No, you are wrong. It had been too long for it to surface again now."

The monk was silent for a moment before his voice came, soft and quiet."If I am so wrong, then why do you look so frightened?"

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"Why are you here anyway?" Tasuki asked, having stopped his pursuit of the other bandit for now. They were sitting on the steps leading to the doors to the palace, leaning against the railings, just enjoying each other's company. They hardly got to see each other anymore as it was.

"You wouldn't believe me if I told you." Koji blew a bang out of his face, "It isn't like him."

"Chichiri brought you here, didn't he?"

Koji blinked in surprise, "How did you...?"

The seishi smiled, "I guess he thought you'd get a kick out of it..." He frowned at his neon pink hair, but a thought suddenly struck him, and he had to pause to straighten it out. True, maybe Chichiri would have wanted to gloat, but that wasn't all it was. He got to his feet, "Hey, ill see ya later."

"Where ya goin'?"

"Im going to go have a chat with our resident blue-haired monk." He got half way up the steps before he stopped and looked back, so that just his profile was revealed to the other. "Hey, Koji...You were wrong."

The other raised an eyebrow, "Oh really? What about?"

A soft smile crossed his face, "About Chiri... This is exactly like him."

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"I do not know what you are talking about."

"Don't play this, Taitskun! You are playing the old role again- sitting back and becoming ignorant until another demon will come up to destroy the people of this world-and I will NOT have it!" Chichiri snarled.

"I am the teacher, you are the student!" She half-yelled, "I am your teacher!"

"THEN BE THE TEACHER!" He was on his feet before he even realized it, hands curled into fists at his side, "BE the teacher I looked up to and STOP THIS MADNESS! NOW, before even more innocents suffer because of YOU!"

For a moment complete silence reigned in the shrine, and then the oracle's voice, cold and firm, shattered it. "You forget yourself, Suzaku no shichiseishi Chichiri. I am ashamed to say you were once my student."

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"Hey, ya know where I can find Chichiri?" Tasuki grabbed one of the mousy attendants that scurried about the palace and looked him in the eyes. "Aw, come on kid. Im not gonna hurt ya!"

"A-Ah...Master...Master Chichiri...is in the shrine of Suzaku...He asked that no one d-disturbs him...Master...T-Tasuki, sir."

Tasuki nodded, "That so. Well, he's about to get disturbed." He let go and motioned the kid on, "Thanks for the info."

The kid ran.

"Sheesh, why are they so scared of ME?" He shook his head and made his way quickly toward the shrine. Revenge was the last thing on his mind right now, he just felt...that something big was going to happen. And, as always, it had something to do with the mystery monk.

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"Were?" He murmured.

"Yes, WERE! Did you honestly think I would welcome you back after what you did here, just now? Are you that insane and ignorant!" As soon as she said that last she froze, mouth open in shock. "I.."

Chichiri had flinched like he had been struck, before reaching down to pick up his mask. "Yes...Maybe I am insane. But I can take comfort in the fact I will never be able to outmatch you on ignorance. I have a visitor. Good day, Taitskun."

"You cannot just-"

The door opened on its own, revealing Tasuki, who blinked in surprise at seeing the creator. "Ah, what's going on? Am I interrupting? Ill come back later.."

"No, its all right, Tasuki. She was just going home." Chichiri gave her a cold look, "Weren't you?"

She growled, "At least one of you has learned some manners."

"If I would learn them from you id rather not, thank you."

Tasuki shot a shocked glance at his brother warrior. Never before had he heard Chichiri so cold...and disrespectful- especially toward Taitskun! Wasn't she his teacher? "Chiri, I-"

"MASTER CHICHIRI!" A guard dashed into the shrine, nearly knocking Tasuki over as if he weren't even there. "MASTER CHICHIRI COME QUICK! We have reports of heavy casualties on the outmost villages- in the most horrifying way...and by one man! The army is dumbfounded! They cant touch him!"

Chichiri stiffened and then turned so that his perfect profile was the only thing shown to the creator, along with a chilling, ice cold mahogany eye of steel. "I hope you're happy." He snapped before motioning to Tasuki and running out of the shrine, guard on their heels, giving them more details.

Taitskun could only blink at the space where the young seishi had previously stood, and then, her mouth still partially open in shock, disappeared, leaving the shrine of Suzaku empty save for a flickering fire that was blinked out as a wind from the open doors swept inside, erasing the flames as if they had never, ever been.

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OOOHHH! GO CHICHIRI! -waves chichiri flag- You put that...thing...in its place! Speaking of which, can anyone tell me where the TWO nods toward Roku Kyu are? Yes, there are two. -smile-

Now, see that little button on the bottom left of your screen that says 'Submit Review'? Click it and drop me a line! I love hearing from you! That's what keeps me running!

_Next chapter: Rokou. _

Ohmygod there are other people in the next chapter than Tasuki and Chichiri! -gasp-


	4. Rokou

To be a Seishi

Chapter four: Rokou

Rating: M (all my stories are .;;)

Summary:AU. They thought it was over, they thought they could live in peace. They were wrong. A demon is born from the innocence of a child, and in order to stop him, Chichiri has to pay a terrible price and face a fate worse than death. Life. DARK CHICHIRI

Disclaimer: see previous chapter

A/N: -frown- I seem to have lost where that other nod is. Anywhoo, Everqueen got the other one. The way Chiri played his part was nice. wOOt.

Warning: spoilers, really. If you don't know who Rokou is, he's Nuriko's elder brother. It goes Rokou, Ryuuen, and Kourin. -smile- actually, a lot of this stuff in this story can be spoilers, so here is a complete story spoiler warning.

**Warning.**

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"Lord Rokou! HAYAKU! We MUST get you out of here this instant!" One of the servants that ran the Chou household began trying to physically push the tall, purple haired man out the back door, all the while spouting nonsense of a man who left corpses in his wake. Pure insanity. Or so he thought.

"Ahh...Ow..Release me!" Pulling his arm away, Rokou quickly backed up, hands up in front of him."Stop. Just stop, and tell me again. What's coming this way?"

"A DEMON!" The servant cried, "A demon with glowing green eyes- _please_ Lord, just come with me to safety!" If the look of intense horror on the other's face was not just proof enough for Rokou Chou, the screams he began to hear just moments later would do the trick. Racing to his front door he threw it wide open.

Light purple eyes widened in shock, glued to the figure that stood just up the road, standing there with such an aura about him, a tangible aura that even an untrained child could sense. Raven black hair was flying about his face, a face set with two piercing, glowing, emerald eyes that seemed to freeze anyone unlucky enough to catch their attention.

And from head to toe, he was splattered in blood.

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"Chichiri, what's happening?" Nuriko and Chiriko met him and Tasuki in front of the main gate, both dressed to fight. "People are saying there is a demon out in the city!" The cross-dresser absently played with his bracelets as he spoke.

The youngest of the seishi seemed slightly calmer, but not by much. "Yes, Chichiri-san. Is it true?"

The monk's eyes betrayed nothing. "I don't know." He murmured, his hair lying about his face. In his haste from the shrine he hadn't had time to change or even tie his hair back. He must have been one odd sight, but now was not the time to worry about looks. "Chiriko, I need you to find Mitsukake then find Tamahome and Miaka. Stay with them and get them to safety. Miaka's well-being comes first."

Chiriko nodded, already running off down the hall. As he raced around the corner he spared a glance back, "Be careful!"

The monk nodded, but his attention was focused on something else.

"Nuriko. Tasuki."

They immediately looked at him. You payed attention when Chichiri used his serious voice. Thats just how it was. "Nuriko, please go get his majesty. If worse comes to worse, its up to you two and Tamahome to protect this palace. Tasuki-"

"Im going with you." The bandit interjected. "No matter what you say."

Chichiri gave him a small smile, "Wouldn't even dream of arguing with you." He held out his hand and his staff appeared. "Well then, shall we?"

"You know it!" He flipped his tessen into his hand, "On the count of three?"

"One..." Chichiri folded his sleeves back.

"Two..." Tasuki's fingers tightened on his weapon.

"THREE!"

The gate flew open, and the two seishi burst into the city... and straight into the heart of the carnage.

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"Tamahome!" Miaka cried, turning her face away from the corpses that littered the streets. They had been out on a walk, thinking it would be good to get away from the palace. And now...Now they were in the center of a nightmare.

Blood ran like water, everything, everywhere was red. People were missing pieces of their bodies, they were hung, they were just twitching on the ground, clutching their throats as if they were choking. On what, the miko did NOT want to know.

The seishi held her in his arms, "W-What happened here?" He couldn't stop staring. These people, he knew them. They were innocents, innocent men, women, and children who hadn't done a thing to anyone in their entire lives warranting such bloodshed. But it was happening all the same. "Who would do such a thing...?"

"Look!" Miaka cried, pointing to where a bloodied figure was slowly nearing them, hands held at his sides loosely, black hair falling over his face, obscuring it from view. Unable to determine whether he was friend or foe, because he didn't look threatening-my god he was just a boy! Barely fifteen it looked like. What could he possibly do? But just the same...something felt wrong...

"REKKA SHINEN!" The fire slammed into the area between miko, seishi, and youth. "Get AWAY from them!" Tasuki snarled, standing protectively in front of Miaka. "Tama, take Miaka back to the palace. Now. Chiri and I will take care-"

He never finished his sentence because at that moment, the man's eyes snapped up to rest on them and the street exploded.

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"Lord Rokou, WHAT are you DOING!"

"What does it look like?" He began to quickly braid his long hair, letting it fall down his back a la Ryuuen style, before quickly tying a sash around his waist. Slipping his feet into boots, he rummaged around in a drawer until he found what he was looking for.

"I would like to say getting ready to leave, but i know thats not it." The servant muttered, hopping from one foot to the other as he tried to not run as fast as he could to hide. He wanted to, but his lord was more important.

"On the contrary, I am leaving." He finally pulled out a long, wrapped object. Lying it on the table he carefully pulled the material away to reveal a scabbard encrusted in jewels. A sword, once held long ago by his forefather and passed down to the eldest son of each generation. It hadn't seen battle since that time. He gently lifted it out of the bed of cloth, just gazing at it in silence for a second before switching hands, his right on the hilt. In one smooth, practiced motion he drew the sword, blade arching and glittering in the sun as he slung it around his side before letting it slide back into its holder smoothly.

"My lord, you cant! This is insanity- You cannot be thinking to actually appose him!"

Rokou tied the sheath to his sash before moving toward the door, "Who ever said I thought about it?" He muttered before sprinting out into the street, leaving his servant staring at him in shock and horror. There was only one person who would be able to make him listen to reason now...Ryuuen.

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Miaka pried her eyes open, wondering why she didn't feel like she had been incinerated. "CHICHIRI!" She screamed, staring at the monk's back as he held the barrier around them, uncaring of the blood that was beginning to run down his right leg and pool at his feet. The boy stood barely fifteen feet in front of them, his glowing eyes fixed upon Chichiri.

"Why cant I kill you?" He hissed, "Why are you able to resist my eyes?"

Chichiri didn't answer him, instead he spoke quietly to the red-headed man who stood next to him."Tasuki, take Miaka and Tamahome and get to the palace."

"But Chichiri-"

"DO IT NOW KOU SHUN'U! FOR THE SAKE OF THIS KINGDOM, DO IT!" His one chocolate eye was wild and narrowed, rage brimming on the edges. And fear...It was the fear that gave Tasuki the strength to force Miaka and Tamahome the entire way. He held onto Tamahome's wrist even as he dashed off with his priestess in his arms.

And just to make sure he wouldnt do something stupid, like going back to help, Tasuki bit his lip and kept his eyes focused solely on the palace gates.

_Chichiri..._

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"What do you mean you don't know where Miaka is!" Hotohori nearly screeched, his sword already in his hand. He had been striding down the hall as fast as he could, but at this recent development he had froze and turned to look at Nuriko with barely contained horror. "You are a suzaku shichiseishi, are you not! It is your duty to protect her, how could you have failed me in this!" He was nearly yelling, eyes burning. "You are a failure as a seishi!"

"I am sorry, my lord!" The purple haired seishi cried, wringing his hands, "Chichiri told me to get you and keep you safe- Chiriko was supposed to find them!" His brow was furrowed and he lowered his eyes. "Please forgive me, heika."

As soon as his words had left his mouth the emperor knew he had gone to far, and as the other's eyes fell to the floor, he felt like he had slammed into a wall of spikes. How...heartless...was he...? "N-Nuriko...I..."

"Come on, heika, we must find Miaka at once." Even the other's voice was strange, strained. "As you just reminded me, my duty is to my miko. Let us hurry."

"Nuriko-"

"Don't you wish to save Miaka, heika?" The cross-dresser murmured as he swept past him, "She could be in trouble."

Hotohori blinked after him with wide eyes before he sighed deeply and followed. Yes, they had to find Miaka, but after that...They needed to talk.

They had just almost made it to the front gates when they burst in and a stumbling servant ran in, falling to his knees in the dirt. "Lord Ryuuen!" He cried, catching sight of Nuriko and Hotohori. Although, in his haste he didn't even notice the emperor. Such things were punishable by death, that among them, but at the time, he let it go. He might have not even known, his thoughts were filled with self-loathing.

"Samar!" Nuriko, startled, rushed forward, falling to his knees in front of the other. "Samar- what's wrong? What happened!"

"Lord R-Rokou!" He managed to gasp, his chest heaving. He had run all the way, it would seem. "He...He went after...the...d-demon...!"

Never in Nuriko's life had he felt so horrified, except for the time when he had stood there on the road and watched the carriage run over Kourin.

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So good. -sigh- anywhoo, leave me a message in a review! Thanx!


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